Dee Dee Myers: Why Women (KBH?) Should Rule the World

Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison gets a few mentions in former White House press secretary Dee Dee Myers’ book, “Why Women Should Rule the World.”

Myers doesn’t endorse Hutchison for governor, but she does make an interesting observation regarding the “mentioning game that goes on before a presidential campaign, where pundits like me talk about who might get into the race — or who should get into the race:”

“Hypothetically, a U.S. senator from a huge and important state like Texas, who has been reelected twice with more than 60 percent of the vote, who had previously been successful in business, had served in the state legislature, and had been elected state treasurer, would be on everybody’s list of likely, even ideal, candidates.”

Myers continues:

“That candidate exists. Her name is Kay Bailey Hutchison. But I never heard anyone — myself included — say she’d make a great candidate for president in the run-up to the 2008 race, It’s hard to imagine that would have happened to a Texas senator named Kurt Bailey Hutchison.”

Myers says it’s part of a phenomenon of women getting less credit for the same accomplishments. She calls it the “credit gap.”

Those attending tomorrow’s Annie’s List luncheon in Austin, where Myers is a featured speaker (and Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, is getting a lifetime achievement award) might expect to hear more about this.